London
"London" is the season premiere of Season 6 of the NBC television series Parks and Recreation, and the 91st and 92nd episodes overall. It premiered on September 26, 2013 to 3.27 million viewers. Storyline Picking up where "Are You Better Off?" left off, Diane Lewis informs Ron Swanson that she is pregnant. Feeling overwhelmed with joy and love, Ron proposes to Diane and the two head to the fourth floor of City Hall to get married immediately. They pick up Leslie Knope and April Ludgate on their way there, and with them as witnesses and an ordained minister ready to go, Ron and Diane are pronounced husband and wife. One month later, Leslie is still being attacked by the "Recall Knope" campaign. She has come up with 40 phases to get the public to like her again, but so far none are creating awareness or making a difference. To lighten the mood, April makes a surprise announcement: she recently nominated Leslie for an award from the International Coalition of Women in Government, and Leslie was one of five winners. She also announces that the ceremony is being held in London in a month's time. Another month later, Leslie, Ben, Ron, April and Andy are in London. Ron explains that he's only there because Diane wanted it to be their honeymoon, but due to morning sickness, she stayed home and insisted Ron still travel to London. Everyone has their assignments: Leslie and April will prepare for the awards ceremony, Ben and Andy will attend their meeting for the Sweetums Foundation, and Ron will take pictures of London for Diane. Ben and Andy visit the head of an English charity foundation to expand their after school music program that they started in Pawnee. They meet Lord Edgar Covington, a wealthy man from a distinguished family with lots of money and property. Ben attempts to discuss terms with Lord Covington, but it quickly becomes clear he is easily distracted and is interested in childish, trivial things, much like Andy. Andy and Lord Covington get along very well – they both have similar work ethic and mannerisms. When Ben finally gets the chance to put forward his proposal, Covington admits he has no idea what he is doing. He started the charity to do something good with his family's money but he has heard hundreds of charity pitches and isn't sure who to choose. The only convincing Covington needs to chose Ben's proposal is Andy telling him blankly "Ours is great". Because Covington likes Andy so much, he requests he stay with him in England for three months to get things up and running. With encouragement from April, Andy agrees to stay and help out Covington (even though clearly, neither of them have any idea where to start). Meanwhile, Leslie discovers that back in Pawnee, her personal London pictures are being used against her, as those from the "Recall Knope" campaign are insinuating she'd rather be in Europe than work through her problems in Pawnee. She initially wants to get back to Pawnee as soon as possible, but Ron convinces her to forget it and accept her award as planned. At the awards ceremony, she meets the other winners and is distressed to find that they are all loved by their hometowns, whereas Leslie's hometown has a strong hatred for her. This depressing revelation comes out in her acceptance speech, as she accuses Pawnee's citizens of being ungrateful and overly mean to her for no good reason. This backfires on Leslie, as her speech is live streamed in a number of places around Pawnee. She is later comforted by Ron and she hands him a belated wedding gift. Upon arriving back in Pawnee, Leslie continues her thank-less work at serving the citizen's of Pawnee. Realizing Leslie could use a pick-me-up, April reads Leslie her application letter she sent to the International Coalition of Women in Government. The letter notes how special Leslie is, as her tireless work usually always goes unnoticed in a city full of apathetic people, and delves into how much she truly cares for her friends. Ron's hatred for Europe is great, but he is pleasantly surprised with Leslie's gift: a trip to an island off the coast of Scotland that hosts the Lagavulin distillery, his favorite alcoholic beverage. Peeved at Tommy's Closet being established across the road from Rent-A-Swag, Tom Haverford asks Donna Meagle to help him find out information on the unknown owner. Finding only an address, Tom drives there to find Ann Perkins and Chris Traeger entering the building. Tom races in after them and finds the pair in a room in the middle of a sonogram. Tom realizes two things: Ann is pregnant, and the person trying to ruin his business is their doctor, Dr. Saperstein—Jean-Ralphio's father. Dr. Saperstein tells Tom he is only doing it to get back at him for ruining his children's lives. Later, Tom implores Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa to confess their lies to their father in an attempt to get Dr. Saperstein to back down from his revenge plot. The plan does not work, as Dr. Saperstein is invested in his new business because it's actually making him money. This only inspires Tom to continue going in order to beat his competition. Leslie's Forty Phases To Success # Believe In Yourself # Plan To Be Spontaneous # Take Back The Night. Return The Day # Bring The Fight To Them # Take It To The Streets # Change The Game, *Find the Box, Invent Stuff to do, Wear someone else's clothes # Throw Out The Old Rules # Change The Game Back To What It Was, *Ammend Folder 5 of Restrictions & Rejections # Costume Ball # Meat & Greet # Free Sundaes # Super Soaker Tuesday's # Think Outside The Box # Bite The Bullet # Dealer's Choice # Stop, Drop, And Bowl, *Vote on changing team shirt design # Kill 'Em With Kindness # No Pain, No Gain # Take It To The Streets # Spring Forward, Fall Back # Bring Home The Bacon # Reach Out To Bono # Reach Out To Springsteen, *If Bono's not available # Reach Out To Mellencamp, *If Springsteen's not available # Reach Out To Andy, *If Mellencamp's not available # No Problem Too Small, *See chart B-26 # 24 HR Road Kill Scrape-A-Thon # Brainstorm More Phases, *Submit to task force # Get People To Wash Their Hands # Pump Up The Volume # I Didn't Come Here To Make Friends # What Would Romney Don't? # Stand On Shoulders Of Heroes, *Remove shoes first # Media Push # All Systems Go # Dog Prom # Loose Faith Temporarily, *See Folder 5 for Restrictions & Rejections # Get Plenty Of Rest For All Night Rally # All Obstacles Removed # Total Success. Victory! Quotes Diane: Ron's office ''So, uh, I am pregnant. '''Ron:' surprised ''I see. '''Diane:' I don't understand how; we were so careful. Ron: I warned you about this. Standard birth control methods aren't usually effective against a Swanson. Ron: out a ring case ''I was gonna wait until our anniversary to take you somewhere romantic. Perhaps in a canoe. Most likely in a canoe. I actually built a canoe for that purpose. But given the news and given my significant feelings for you, now seems as good time as any. '''Diane:' what's about to happen ''Ron Swanson... '''Ron:' Diane Lewis... will you marry me? opens the ring case and shows a ring Diane: Yes. both smile Leslie: and April are walking down the wall and see Ron and Diane ''Well, hello there! '''Diane:' Hey, Leslie! What's with the getup? Leslie: We're coming back from cleaning up the Pawnee River. There's nothing I love more than squeeging slime off the highway underpass. April: Where are you guys going? Ron: The fourth floor. Getting married. looks at the camera absolutely surprised Leslie: casually ''Okey-dokie. Well, catch you later. '''Leslie:' takes at Ron's sudden marriage announcement ''WHHAAAT??!! WHY?? Whoooa! ''stammers in disbelief and shock ''What the-? ''freezes Ron: Are you dead? You look like in rictus. Diane: Would you ladies like to come? April: eagerly ''Can I be the Best Man? '''Ron:' Why not? Let's go. Leslie: Ron is getting married! And I love him, and I care about him, and this is the greatest day ever, and I go- I do not have time to talk about this! to the elevator ''WAIT! '''Ron:' Ah, Ethel Beavers. We would like a marriage license. Please? And thank you. Ethel Beavers: What's the date of the wedding? Ron: Today. Diane: It's a bit unusual, but we- Ethel Beavers: interrupts ''Don't care. '''Diane:' Leslie Knope, would you please be my Matron of Honor? Leslie: honored and touched ''Diane... you have no idea... what that means to me. '''Ron:' She gets it. Let's go! Leslie: '''Why is there no rice in this municipal government building?? '''Ethel Beavers: I need your full name for the license. Ron: Ronald Ulysses Swanson. Diane: Diane Tammy Lewis. Ron: alarmed ''Tammy? You're middle name's- '''Diane:' Just kidding. It's Elizabeth. smiles at Diane's joke Leslie: 'Pretend this is rice! ''some torn up shreds of paper '''Leslie: I will spend the day getting to know London's history. Ron: History began on July 4, 1776. Everything before that was a mistake. a picture of Buckingham Palace Ron: '''Diane suggested that we tag along to London for a honeymoon. I agreed because my love for her trumps my hatred for Europe. Then, she hit a phase of morning sickness that knocked her for a loop and decided to stay home. ''is shown taking pictures of the London Eye and Tower Bridge; he clearly is unimpressed ''But she insisted '''I go and take pictures for her.'' All of this could've been avoided if we'd followed my plan for a honeymoon: a steak dinner, a glass of Lagavulin whiskey, then vigorous lovemaking for two hours, and we're both asleep by 8:30. '''Leslie: '''Notting Hill Bus Tour starts at 2:00, the Love Actually Bus Tour starts at 2:30, and... oh, the Bridget Jones Diary Bus Tour starts at 2:30, also. What do we do? Ron, you're pick. ''the while, Ron and April are not at all excited at Leslie's tourist destination picks Ron: ''a picture of Big Ben Look, a clock. We don't have that in America. '''Ron: 'to the Tower of London ''You call that a tower? Try the Sears Tower, friend. '''Ron:' a postcard ''"London at Night". ''at the joke ''That is very funny. ''shows it to the camera: it's all black with "London at Night" in orange font British Vendor: Can I help you, sir? Ron: Yes. I will take this. him one American dollar British Vendor: Uh, we don't accept American currency, sir. Ron: Of course you do. That's the most wonderful piece of paper in the world. Accept it. British Vendor: Very sorry, sir. Ron: offended ''Fine. Enjoy the fact that your royal overlords are a frail old woman and a tiny baby. ''puts the postcard back, gives one quick glare at the vendor, and leaves Ron: Lagavulin Distillery off the coast of Scotland ''All my life, I have avoided Europe and its multitude of terribleness. But it turns out, much to my surprise, there is actually one place in Europe that is worth seeing. These tiny islands off the coast of Scotland where God's chosen elixirs are distilled, barreled, and prepared for consumption. ''is shown touring the place and seeing how everything is produced for his favorite drink 'This' is worth the trip. is seen contently sitting by the coast with his drink and admiring the view Trivia * This episode picks up where "Are You Better Off?" left off. * Diane is pregnant with John Swanson; he is born in "The Wall". * Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope), Ben Schwartz (Jean-Ralphio Saperstein), and Henry Winkler (Dr. Saperstein) all appeared at one point on the show Arrested Development. * The London episodes were filmed in London to accommodate for Chris Pratt and his role in the film Guardians of the Galaxy. Andy staying in England was also used as a means in which to accommodate Pratt's absence. ** Guest star Peter Serafinowicz (Lord Edgar Covington) was also in Guardians of the Galaxy ''where he played a character named ''Denarian Saal. Goofs * On Leslie's 40 Phases board, there are two spelling errors: ** Phase 8 has 'ammend' instead of 'amend' ** Phase 37 has 'loose faith' instead of 'lose faith'